Carbondale Reporter

State Rep. Dave Severin (R-Franklin) addressed several public safety components within the Reimagine Illinois plan, an extensive new platform introduced by House Republicans. Severin recently joined State Reps. Blaine Wilhour, Patrick Windhorst, and Paul Jacobs to discuss the plan in a live video.

According to Severin, certain public safety elements in the Reimagine Illinois plan would seek to implement changes in the training of police officers, bail reforms and expediting the application for a Firearm Owners Identification card (FOID).

 "Every Illinois family deserves a neighborhood free of violence; our initiatives will implement reforms to make sure public safety officials are prepared for their positions and help recruit and retain the best and the brightest in law enforcement," Severin said. "We also propose improvements to the FOID application process and a study of bail reforms to cause communities to be safer and free from organized criminals."

Severin called for a program that would help incentivize the "best and brightest" to apply for law enforcement positions during a period with increasing calls for defunding the police.

"We need to implement a program to recruit and retain the best officers on the streets," Severin said, "We want to give the officers now a reason to stay and those looking that are potentially looking to becoming officers a reason to join us."

Additionally, Severin addressed reforms in the Reimagine Illinois plan that would focus on expediting the process of acquiring FOID cards.

"Licensed gun owners have seen countless delays on their FOID card applications and renewals caused by bureaucratic walls," Severin said.

Despite Severin's claims that residents could "see an unchecked rise in violent crimes," a 2019 crime report by the FBI found that violent and property crimes had both decreased in the state by just 1%; however, the report also found that Illinois' crime rate remains nearly 7% higher than the national average.

One of the many reforms within the Reimagine Illinois Plan calls for an end to patronage in law enforcement training; according to Severin, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standard Board had been under the influence of Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who resigned from his position in February.

Severin serves as state representative of the 17th Illinois House district and represents the Franklin and Williamson Counties along with the west side of Hamilton County.